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Fatality Reports

MSHA investigates each mining fatality and prepares the following documents to alert the mining community and prevent similar occurrences.

  • Fatality Alert - describes the accident and lists best practices that may have prevented it
  • Preliminary Report - initial report with brief description
  • Final Report - investigative findings, including root causes and enforcement actions

Some deaths on mining property are determined to be unrelated to mining activity and are not included in MSHA’s fatality statistics - See recent “non-chargeable” fatalities:
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Pulaski, Arkansas
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Granite
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Jackson, Georgia
Mine Controller: Vulcan Materials Company
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Granite
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Muscogee, Georgia
Mine Controller: Frank Foley
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Granite
Accident Classification: Drowning
Location: Jackson, Wisconsin
Mine Controller: Athabasca Minerals Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand industrial NEC
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Harlan, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Industrial Minerals Group LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Carson City, Nevada
Mine Controller: Jeremy Page; Tim Rasich; Zack Doane
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Fall of Face, Rib, Side or Highwall
Location: Somerset Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: JAZ Ventures LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Mcdowell, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Ramaco Resources Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Lander, Nevada
Mine Controller: Nevada Gold Mines LLC
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Gold Ore
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Greenley Arizona
Mine Controller: Freeport-McMoRan Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Polk, Arkansas
Mine Controller: Danny Hansbrough
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Marshall, West Virginia
Mine Controller: ACNR Holdings Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Bell, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Thomas R Hamilton
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Fall of Roof or Back
Location: Fayette, Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Arcosa Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Knox, Indiana
Mine Controller: Hallador Energy Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Liberty, Texas
Mine Controller: Norvarem S A U
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Sand Common
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Pickens, Georgia
Mine Controller: Imerys S A
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Marble
Accident Classification: Confined Space
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Mine Controller: PBA Holdings Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Union, Kentucky
Mine Controller: Alliance Resource Partners LP
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Hernando, Florida
Mine Controller: Cemex S A
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Crushed Broken Limestone NEC
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Suffolk, New York
Mine Controller: John B Tintle
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Logan, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Arch Resources Inc
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: La Grange, Texas
Mine Controller: Summit Materials LLC
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Perry, Ohio
Mine Controller: Charles C Ungurean
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Handling Material
Location: Taylor, Wisconsin
Mine Controller: Dennis Ovyn
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Valencia, New Mexico
Mine Controller: Robert Caldwell; Dale Armstrong
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Construction Sand and Gravel
Accident Classification: Confined Space
Location: Morenci, Arizona
Mine Controller: Freeport-McMoRan Inc
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Copper Ore NEC
Accident Classification: Falling, Rolling, or Sliding Rock or Material of Any Kind
Location: Shoshone, Idaho
Mine Controller: Randy L Rice
Mine Type: Surface
Mined Material: Gold
Accident Classification: Powered Haulage
Location: Mill Creek, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Metinvest B V
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Accident Classification: Slip or Fall of Person
Location: Raleigh, West Virginia
Mine Controller: Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc
Mine Type: Facility
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Chargeback Date: 8/4/2021

On August 4, 2021, a miner was injured in a slip or fall of person accident at Marfork Processing, Marfork Coal Company, LLC. The miner died on August 8, 2021. Because of the circumstances surrounding the accident, MSHA referred the accident to the Agency’s Chargeability Review Committee (Committee). On August 23, 2023, the Committee determined that the death should be chargeable to the mining industry.